Washoe Country School District
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Assessing Process
To Get Started
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Your signed permission is required in order to evaluate your child. Please have the GT-3(A) Parent Authorization for Eligibility Testing form filled out and submit it to the counselor (or private school teacher) at your student's school. If homeschooled, form can be mailed or faxed in. [We do not test students beyond 8th grade.]
Student’s information will be obtained from teachers, counselors, and district records; (GT-1(A) Student Nomination Form from Counselors and GT-2(A) Student Nomination Checklist from Teachers (see forms below)). Once we receive the forms from the counselor, and it is deemed to be appropriate by the GATE Admin Committee, testing will occur approximately three to four months from our receipt date. If GATE testing is not warranted, you will be notified in writing. [We do not contact parents/guardians prior to going to the schools to test.]
Students are required to meet specific criteria established by the Nevada State Department of Education and WCSD. The student’s general cognitive abilities will be individually evaluated using one of seven nationally recognized IQ tests test such as WASI, KBIT2, etc. Our Admin Committee then considers each student by using an Eligibility Determination Matrix. These IQ tests measure general intellectual abilities in nonverbal and verbal areas. A score at or above the 98th percentile automatically qualifies your child for GATE programming. If your child scores below the 98th percentile, additional matrix factors are considered, such as: the results of the Student Nomination Form and Checklist, state testing scores when available, benchmarks, Title 1 school, free or reduced lunch, English language learner, Special Education or Section 504, enrollment in another district’s GATE program, grades, etc. Students who score at the 99th percentile or higher are considered for an evaluation for the School Within a School (SWAS) program for highly gifted students.
After testing occurs, the result letter will be sent in the US mail. Once a student is certified GATE they are always certified GATE and invited to participate in our program. Schools are also notified of the eligibility determination.
Students are only allowed to be tested for GATE twice. If re-evaluation is requested, all the steps as mentioned above must be recreated.
Gifted and Talented Education Program Forms
- GT-1 Student Nomination form for Counselor
- GT-1A Student Nomination form for Counselor for Private and Homeschooled Students
- GT-2 Student Nomination Checklist for Teachers
- GT-2A Student Nomination Checklist for Teachers for Private and Homeschooled Students
- GT-3 Parent Authorization Test Form (Spanish)
- GT-3A Parent Authorization Test Form for Private and Homeschooled Students
- GT-4 MTSS Team GATE referral form
If your student particpated in GATE at their last school, please fill out the Release of Information form, so we may request their GATE certification information. This form should also be give to the counselor along with the GT-3(A).
